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development Depression Possible causes of Depression - Explained |
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POSSIBLE CAUSES OF DEPRESSION
There is not a single ‘type’ of personality which predisposes people to depression. However, those who get anxious easily or who find it difficult to show their feelings for example, may be more at risk. There is no evidence to prove that depression runs in families. You will not necessarily develop depression just because your parents or siblings have done. However, your risk may be increased. People with a family history of depression are more at risk of developing a depressive illness and the highest risk is if you have an identical twin who has suffered from depression before. There is certainly clear evidence of this. Case studies have shown that approximately 40% of identical twins will both suffer from depression (Source to be stated for statistic). This points to the fact that identical twins have identical genetic predisposition. However, even if there is a depressive illness in the family, it would usually make sense that a traumatic event or other situation would have triggered it rather than simply a genetic reason. Women are twice as likely to be diagnosed as being depressed as men. Women are not necessarily more prone to depression and a simple explanation for this could be the fact that women are more likely to admit to depression than men – and also that they are more likely to approach their GP about it. Doctors also tend to recognise and diagnose depression more in women than men, even in today’s society. Social pressures can have an impact on women, such as being at home alone with a small baby, pregnancy itself and childbirth as well as the menopause. (Please see the section ‘Women and Depression’ for more detailed information). Another way that women can be affected is by hormonal imbalances – changes in the levels of progesterone and oestrogen can have a significant impact on women’s moods. This typically brings on the various different symptoms of Pre Menstrual Syndrome (PMS) which can manifest themselves as physical pain such as breast tenderness or back pain. This can also manifest itself however, as an emotional symptom, with feelings of tearfulness and depression Changes in hormone levels can result in lingering depression and even the use of birth control pills can impact hormone levels, resulting in mood swings. (Again, please see the section ‘Women and Depression for more detailed information). Some prescription medication can lead to depression but this obviously does not mean that you should stop taking any medication or drugs before consulting your GP – this is very important. There could be serious consequences to stopping prescribed medication and any issues of this nature should be discussed in detail with your GP. You could also have another reason for being depressed which is completely unrelated to your medication. The results of stopping medication without consulting your GP can be far more dangerous than depression – and this can be treated in other ways. Examples of medicines which can cause depression:
There are also other drugs which may affect depression – so if you are taking any of the above or some other medication which you think may be related to your depression, see your GP immediately to discuss this. Anyone who feels out of control for a prolonged period of time could be prone to depression. People who cannot escape from a situation or see a way to initiate any positive change in their lives can start to feel demoralised which can lead to feelings of helplessness. This can in turn have an impact on behavioural and emotional patterns and eventually lead to depression. Some evidence suggests that physical or sexual abuse can make people more prone to severe depression later in life. People who have suffered abuse often remember the abuse on some level but some are not able to and suppress the painful memories. In either case, depression can sometimes be the result. There is a theory that negative thought patterns can lead to depression. This tends to cause people to dwell on any failures or perceived failures in their lives and also to ignore successes. When someone becomes depressed, this can certainly become the overall attitude of the sufferer, but there is little evidence to suggest that this alone kick starts depression. A positive outcome to this theory is that new processes have been developed to re-train thought patterns and this has proved beneficial to many sufferers as part of an overall self help programme. Depression can be common after suffering from a serious illness. This can be caused by the shock that such an incident can bring on. This can also be linked to loss of self confidence, self esteem and control, as an accident or illness can be difficult to deal with, particularly in the face of potential or actual disability or a near death experience. Older people can suffer from a depression if their lifestyle becomes difficult due to illness – Parkinson’s and MS for example can be accompanied by depression. Stress can lead to depression in some cases, where a life event triggers off feelings of anxiety firstly which can lead to a more serious case of depression. The most common life events which can trigger depression are situations involving some kind of loss as an example. This could be the loss of a spouse or relative (please see the section entitled ‘Grief and Bereavement’), loss of employment through redundancy or retirement, divorce, to name a few. The issue of loss can affect people in less obvious ways such as the loss of confidence during a difficult situation such as a damaging relationship or friendship. Again, any of us can suffer from stress day to day or as a response to a more significant life event – we may or may become depressed as a result of this.
Obviously there are countless other circumstances which can bring on stress and anxiety and finally lead to depression. The above are a list of the most common but any event could cause any of us unexpected reactions.
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